Equality and Diversity Policy Statement

UPDATED June 2016

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION
2. BACKGROUND TO THIS POLICY
   Equal Opportunity Act 1988
3. OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
4. PUTTING POLICY INTO PRACTICE
   Equality Information
   Equality Objectives
   Hate Crime and Hate Incident
   Reporting Policy
   Impact Assessment
   Staff Resources
5. RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS POLICY
6. MONITOR AND REVIEW
7. INDIVIDUAL STATEMENTS
8. GLOSSARY

1. INTRODUCTION

This policy sets out The Patenters
commitment to equality and diversity. We will put equality and fairness at
the centre of everything we do and promote equal opportunities for our
customers and staff, value the diversity of our communities by setting the
highest service standards and seeking to continuously improve as both an
employer and service provider. We will celebrate people’s differences and
help our communities to understand and respect each other’s
backgrounds. We want The Patenters to be a strong diverse firm that is built on
fairness.

2. BACKGROUND TO THIS POLICY

Equality means ensuring people are treated fairly, giving them equal
access to services and employment. Diversity is about valuing differences,
whatever an individual’s background. We will consider equality and
diversity across the nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender
reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity,
race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation, and will give
protection from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. We will go
beyond these protected characteristics and include socio economic status
(poverty), as we recognise that there are disparities within our
communities, and care leavers, carers, armed force veterans and people
with an offending history. Our policies and procedures are intended to
promote fairness for all and reinforce our commitment to tackling
inequalities wherever they exist and to eradicating the unacceptable
treatment of any person.

Equal Opportunity Act 1988 legally protects people from discrimination in
the workplace and in wider society. It sets out the different ways in which
it’s unlawful to treat someone.

In summary, those subject to the general equality duty must, in the
exercise of their functions, have due regard to the need to: 1. Eliminate
unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct
prohibited by the Act. 2. Advance equality of opportunity between people
who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. 3. Foster
good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and
those who do not. The general equality duty covers the following
protected characteristics: age (including children and young people),
disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion
or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

3. OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

The Patenters is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and
valuing diversity, eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and
victimisation, including cyber or e-bullying and harassment, and
promoting good relations. We are committed to achieving equality for all
by reducing discrimination in employment and service delivery on the
grounds of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage and
civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and
sexual orientation. Furthermore, we will also strive to ensure that people
are not discriminated against due to their socio economic status (poverty)
or because they are care leavers, carers, armed force veterans and/or
people with an offending history. Through service delivery, the
procurement of goods and services, our workforce and our relationships
with partners and stakeholders we will strive to:

– Meet all legal equality duties, exceeding them where we can.

– Carry out equality analysis of all new or changing policies, plans,
practices and procedures.

– Set, publish and monitor our equality objectives and review them at
least every four years.

– Monitor and evaluate the impacts and outcomes of this policy and take
action on findings accordingly.

– Publish information to demonstrate our compliance with the equality
duty at least annually including information relating to employees and
others affected by our policies and practices.

– Ensure that the allocation of financial resources takes into account
equality and diversity considerations.

– Reflect equality of opportunity in our commissioning, purchasing
policies and procedures and make sure others providing services on our
behalf comply with our equality and diversity commitments.

– Ensure that our jobs are accessible to all people and that our
workforce is diverse and representative of the local community.

– Treat our staff equitably in all areas of employment, including career
development, pay, training and promotion, and continually review human
resource policies to assess their impact on the groups covered by this
policy, including monitoring recruitment, promotion, retention, training
opportunities and take-up, grievances, disciplinary procedures and exit
from employment.

– Tackle harassment and bullying in the workplace.

– Improve consultation with staff.

– Engage people/groups from all communities to help shape our
services and develop our equality objectives.

– Make our services inclusive and accessible, delivered appropriately
and sensitively in order to ensure equality of treatment and improve the
monitoring of service take up and use.

– Offer information about services in appropriate formats and
languages.

– Improve community relations and promote diversity through events,
publicity, educational programmes and other initiatives and continue
encouraging participation in local democracy and representation on public
and voluntary bodies that can link in and feed in information or
suggestions as it relates to the equality policy.

– Tackle all forms of hate crime and harassment and promote safety
and security.

– Uphold the right of all staff and service users to be treated with
dignity and respect by fostering an environment free from ridicule,
bullying, intimidation and victimisation.

– Train staff and Elected Members so they are aware of this policy and
related good practice and are able to apply it to their own area of work.

4. PUTTING POLICY INTO PRACTICE

We will use a number of methods to progress our commitment to equality
and diversity including: Equality Information
We will gather a range of equality information and this will be used to
inform our policies, decisions and work.

Setting Equality Objectives

We will set equality objectives every four years. We will ensure our
objectives are specific, measureable and attainable and progress will be
measured through annual action plans. The equality objectives for 2016-
2020 are:

One of the stated aims of our Licensing Policy is to promote fairness and
equal treatment. In order to achieve this, it is our expectation that our
partners, including local people and businesses, will work with us and will
adopt those same principles.

We will continue to use the impact assessment process and equality
analysis to support the development of inclusive and responsive policies,
procedures and service provision. These will be carried out when a new
policy, procedure or service is being developed or significantly changed,
where a service review is taking place or where a potential inequality has
been identified and assessment includes an analysis of impacts on
protected characteristics and socio economic status.

All staff are responsible for tackling equality and diversity issues in their
daily working environment, for behaving appropriately and for fostering a
culture which promotes dignity and respect.

Equality and diversity will be the foundation of our organisational culture
and will support our staff to recognise and respect the diverse
backgrounds of colleagues and customers.

The Patenters is committed to undertaking robust evaluation of service provision
generally and specifically for its impact on equalities. Understanding the
needs of our customers and service users are key to delivering services
that meet their outcomes and expectations. We need to know where
current or past provision has been effective in promoting equality and
where changes are needed. Impact Assessments are an effective way
of doing this and the first important step to ensuring that equality is
considered fully in the procurement process.

A critical aspect of procurement is how we will monitor and manage a
contract once it has been awarded. Monitoring equality outcomes of the
contractor’s employment policies, practices and performance of the
specification and conditions is important. The Patenters is committed to ensuring
that the contractor’s actions do not put us in breach of our statutory
equality duties. Crucially, we want to ensure that the services or goods
being purchased are being provided in the way that was specified, and
that our contractors comply with The Patenters own equality and diversity
commitments and legal duties under the Act. The responsibility for
monitoring equality outcomes may be divided between The Patenters and the
contractor depending on which party is best placed to assume that
responsibility. Monitoring arrangements will be robust and effective but at
the same time will not be disproportionately burdensome for either party.
Good equality practice makes better employers, it improves their ability to
meet the needs of potential customers, and it can help them to be better
placed to deliver services.

5. RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS POLICY

The Chief Executive and the Management Team have responsibility for
overseeing implementation of the policy and the monitoring process and
managers are responsible for ensuring that all aspects of their services
comply with this Policy.

All staff are expected to be fair in their dealing with colleagues, service
users and other members of the community when carrying out their
duties and in all aspects of service delivery. Working towards the
elimination of discrimination, they are asked to report instances of
discrimination to their manager at the earliest opportunity so that
appropriate action can be taken.

The Patenters requires that all those who provide services on its behalf ensure that
their service provision and employment practices are consistent with this
Policy.

6. MONITOR AND REVIEW

This policy will be monitored alongside the equality objectives and will be
reviewed at least biannually. Officers will monitor its impact and take
action on findings and the team will ensure that the policy is consistent
with current legislation and guidance.

7. INDIVIDUAL STATEMENTS

The Patenters recognises that people will have multiple characteristics and may
face increased disadvantage and discrimination because of this. We will
work to meet the needs of all people by:

– Carrying out our duties under the law, including the Act , and ensuring
our service users and staff are treated with the dignity and respect they
deserve.

– Challenging all forms of discrimination by our colleagues, Elected
Members, contractors, partners, services users and others and ensuring
that all people have equal access to the highest quality services.

– Fostering an environment free from ridicule, bullying, intimidation and
victimisation.

– Redressing any imbalances that exist in our workforce and striving to
remove any barriers to services and employment opportunities.

– Ensuring transparency and communication which is accessible to all
people and producing communications in plain language.

– Consulting with, and monitoring, the needs of staff, service users and
non service users and giving them more power over decisions which affect
them.

– Constantly reviewing and adapting our policies and procedures and
carrying out our duties under the law as it develops to stop discrimination
and support equality and diversity.

The Patenters acknowledges that people can face disadvantage and discrimination,
including institutional discrimination, which is related to their age. Ageism
can particularly affect people seeking employment or services and we
recognise that people can also face lack of respect, ridicule and
harassment due to their age. Children and young people’s voices must be
heard and taken seriously. They can give much needed insight and help to
bring fresh perspectives and ideas. Older people have a wealth of
valuable skills, expertise, knowledge and experience, all of which are
essential to ensure a balanced workforce. Issues of age can vary when
combined with disability, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy,
maternity, family or caring circumstances, race, religion or belief, sex or
sexual orientation. We will work to meet the specific needs of people of
any age by:

– Promoting the recognition of the fact that ageism is harmful as it
undervalues the contribution that all people can make.

– Seeking to recruit and retain younger and older people to ensure a
workforce age balance and to ensure we retain the valuable range of skills
and experience that a balanced workforce brings.

– Regularly reviewing (and adapting where necessary) our policies and
procedures to ensure they are not ageist and carrying out our duties
under the law to stop discrimination and provide equality of opportunity.

The Patenters knows that disabled people face disadvantage and discrimination,
including institutional discrimination, and that disabled people can face
greater barriers related to their age, gender identity, marital status,
pregnancy, maternity, family or caring circumstances, race, religion or
belief, sex or sexual orientation. Disabled people include people with
learning difficulties, Deaf people and people who are hard of hearing,
people with visual or physical impairments and people with mental health
needs. Disabled people often face ridicule, harassment, hatred and
violence. Furthermore, we know that physical barriers can result in
disabled people being physically excluded, marginalised or set apart. We
will make sure our policies tackle these issues and will use the ‘Social
Model of Disability’ as the basis for our understanding of disability and our
work to improve equality and tackle discrimination against disabled
people. This model shows that it is the culture, societal systems and
practices as well as individual attitudes that create barriers that limit or
prevent disabled people from enjoying the same opportunities as other
people. We will work to meet the specific needs of disabled people by:

– Ensuring that disabled people are not treated less favourably in any
procedures, practices and service delivery. We have set a high level
priority to develop services to improve choice and provide support to
enable people to live independent and inclusive lives.

– Supporting our disabled colleagues to fully develop their potential.

– Encouraging and creating an environment in which its workforce and
citizens can feel confident in reporting incidents of disablist harassment
and victimisation, in full knowledge that any such incidents will be
addressed fully and effectively in accordance.

– Promoting equality for disabled people and positive images of disabled
people, avoiding stereotypes and challenging attitudes that patronise or
discriminate against them.

– Valuing the importance and engaging fully with any organisation formed
by disabled people when considering the interests of disabled people,
recognising that disabled people are best placed to speak on behalf of
disabled people.

– Progressively making The Patenters buildings accessible to all and encouraging
partner organisations to do the same where this is possible.

– Promoting accessibility through statutory powers (i.e. planning,
licensing, etc) to encourage compliance with the principles of inclusive
design.

– Using the principles of Inclusive Design and good practice access
standards.

– Work towards ensuring that its communication is accessible and usable
to all people including increasing availability of loop systems, electronic
versions, Braille, sign language interpretation, pictorial easy read and by
providing access to services in community locations using our network of
One Stop Shops, on street information kiosks and other electronic
opportunities.

The Patenters acknowledges that trans people face disadvantage and
discrimination, including institutional discrimination, because of their trans
identity. They often face ridicule, harassment, hatred and violence. Trans
issues can vary when combined with age, disability, marital status,
pregnancy, maternity, family or caring circumstances, race, religion or
belief, sex or sexual orientation. We will work to meet the specific needs
of trans or transgender people by:

– Providing appropriate advice and support to service users and staff
undergoing gender reassignment.

– Treating trans people with respect and dignity including by ensuring
staff are polite and respectful and use terms that acknowledge identity as
a man or woman regardless of how far a trans person’s transition has
progressed. For example, a transsexual person who is transitioning from a
former male role to a female one would usually wish to be referred to as
‘she’ or ‘her’ and for people to refer to her as a woman. The same applies
in reverse to trans men (going from female to male).

– Encouraging and creating an environment in which its workforce and
citizens can feel confident in reporting incidents of trans harassment and
victimisation, in full knowledge that any such incidents will be addressed
fully and effectively.

The Patenters acknowledges that people face disadvantage and discrimination,
including institutional discrimination, because of their race, colour,
nationality (including citizenship), ethnic or national origins. These groups
of people share the same experience of racism, discrimination and
inequality in employment and service provision and as a result suffer
inequality. It can also mean they face harassment, hatred and violence.
Issues of racism can vary when combined with age, disability, gender
identity, marital status, pregnancy, maternity, family or caring
circumstances, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We will work
to meet the specific needs of all our personnel by:

– Encouraging and creating an environment in which its workforce can feel
confident in reporting incidents of racial harassment and victimisation, in
full knowledge that any such incidents will be addressed fully and
effectively in accordance with legislation.

The Patenters knows that to hold a religious or philosophical belief or no religion or
belief is a basic human right that should be treated with respect. We
acknowledge that people can experience harassment, discrimination or
differential treatment because of religious beliefs that they may hold or
because they do not have a religion or belief. Issues of religion or belief
can vary when combined with age, disability, gender identity, marital

status, pregnancy, maternity, family or caring circumstances, race, sex or
sexual orientation. We recognise that a workforce with diverse beliefs will
have a greater understanding of the needs of service users with similar
diverse needs and welcome a workforce that reflects the communities it
serves. We will respect the right of every citizen and colleague to hold or
not to hold political or other beliefs. We will work to meet the specific
needs of all religions and beliefs by:

– Providing scope for prayer and reflection within our flexible working
practices and reasonable unpaid time off for festivals that are a part of a
person’s religion or belief.

– Not allowing religious harassment or discrimination and not permitting
our staff to impose on others their religious, political or other views or
philosophies whilst carrying out their employment.

– Ensuring sensitivity and respect to service users’ religion or belief and
avoid service delivery that is offensive to people’s beliefs.

– Welcoming different forms of dress according to cultural and religious

backgrounds balanced with the need to provide a safe and customer-
focused place of work.

– Promoting an inclusive working culture where people can practice their
religion or belief safety and without fear of harassment and
discrimination.

The Patenters acknowledges that gender discrimination can lead to inequality in
access to jobs, training, development and services. Women and men can
experience disadvantage, discrimination and violence and be subject to
negative stereotypes and attitudes, however, we recognise that women
are more likely to experience discrimination on the basis of their gender.
We will continue to promote and champion equality for all employees and
users of our services. Issues of relating to sex can vary when combined
with age, disability, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, maternity,
family or caring circumstances, race, religion or belief, or sexual
orientation. The contribution of women and men at all levels is vital and
we will endeavour to make full use of their skills, experience, knowledge
and perspective. Women form a significant proportion of our staff and
service users and we are committed to promoting good practice and
removing barriers. Women can be under-represented in the workforce at
senior levels and can tend to be concentrated in lower paid, part-time
work. We will try to redress any imbalance and are committed to
encouraging women as role models, particularly when we showcase our
firm at internal and external events. The threat and use of gender based
violence can limit choices and aspirations, reducing full participation in
every day life and leading to a poor quality of life. Men and boys can
experience interpersonal violence, however, it is disproportionately
experienced by women and girls. In accepting our role as an employer
and provider of services, we will promote public awareness and encourage
programmes designed to reduce violence in all its forms, such as the
Interpersonal Violence Action Plan and Domestic Violence Policy. We will
work to meet the specific needs of women and men by:

– Working to create equal access to jobs, training, development and
services and not allowing sexual harassment or discrimination.

– Supporting the fact that both women and men may need to work
flexibly or part-time or take a break to meet their caring and domestic
responsibilities and supporting employees, where we can, to care for
others who depend on them in emergency and other situations whatever
their gender.

– Challenge stereotypes of women and men that can contribute to limited
choice and opportunities.

– Creating an environment where managers recognise the needs of
employees in relation to workplace gender issues, for example, where
employees may be isolated in single sex dominated workplaces. We will
ensure the culture is not one of harassment and discrimination.

– Working in partnership with other organisations to combat sexual
harassment and gender based violence and to address gender based
structural and economic inequalities. The Patenters knows that lesbians, gay men
and bisexual people face discrimination and disadvantage, including
institutional discrimination. Homophobia and biphobia are collections of
negative attitudes and prejudices that lead to discrimination against
bisexual people, lesbians and gay men. Action will be taken to prevent
discrimination or harassment on the grounds of a person’s sexual
orientation, including heterosexual. Issues of homophobia and biphobia
can vary when combined with age, disability, gender identity, marital status,
pregnancy, maternity, family or caring circumstances, race,
religion or belief, or sex. We will work to meet the specific needs of
lesbians, gay men and bisexual people by:

– Ensuring that wherever within our power, service conditions of
employees offer the same benefits to same-sex relationships as
heterosexual relationships, including pensions, family friendly, special and
parenting leave.

– Creating a climate of respect in the workplace where all people feel safe
to be open about who they are.

– Challenge stereotypes of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals that can
contribute to limited choice and opportunities

– Working in partnership with other organisations to combat sexual
harassment, homophobia and biphobia – taking preventative action where
practical and prosecuting if necessary.

The Patenters Equality and Diversity Policy is not restricted to the protected
characteristics above and includes socio economic status as this continues
to be a major driver of disadvantage and inequality for many people. We
acknowledge that there are huge disparities across our country and within
our communities and that communities suffer as a result of living in areas
of deprivation. Many of our citizens suffer the negative impacts of socio
economic inequality, worklessness, poor health, in work and out of work
poverty and low family incomes, and consequently their life chances are
often reduced and they do not reach their full potential. Our policies and
procedures are intended to promote fairness for all, and reinforce our
commitment to tackling socio economic inequality wherever it exists and
to eradicating the unacceptable treatment of any person. We will work to
meet the specific needs of all our communities by:

– Ensuring equal treatment of all our employees and ensuring that people
are not treated less favourably in any procedures, practices and service
delivery.

– Supporting our colleagues to fully develop their potential and not
allowing any form of harassment.

– Challenge stereotypes of people in differing socio-economic classes that
can contribute to limited choice and opportunities
The Patenters will:

– Ensure that wherever within its power, service conditions of employees
offer the same benefits to same-sex relationships as heterosexual
relationships, including pensions, family friendly and parenting leave.
The Patenters offers a range of family friendly policies which are designed to give
employees the chance, where possible, to take time off and to work hours
that fit in with family responsibilities, in order to help employees achieve
a work-life balance. These include: Adoption Leave is a scheme that
allows employees to take time off prior to and after the placement of the
child as part of a formal adoption. The scheme also allows employees who
have taken adoption leave the right to return to work. This means that
employees are guaranteed that their jobs will be available to them when
they return to work.

Emergency Leave is a statutory right to take unpaid leave to deal with
family emergencies. Maternity Leave is a scheme that allows female
employees to take time off prior to and after the birth of their baby. The
scheme also allows women who have taken maternity leave the right to
return to work. This means that, in most cases, employees are
guaranteed that their job or an equivalent job will be available to them on
their return to work. Maternity Support Leave is a period of leave granted
to employees who are nominated carers to expectant mothers. A
nominated carer is the person nominated by the mother to assist in the
care of the child and to provide support to the mother at or around the
time of birth.

Paternity Leave is a scheme that allows employees to take time off after
becoming a parent or becoming an adoptive parent. Requested Flexible
Working gives employees who have at least 26 weeks’ service the right to
request to work flexibly. Shared Parental Leave is a scheme that allows
parents to share periods of maternity leave and pay following the birth or
adoption of a child and use it in a more flexible way.

Special Leave is for urgent personal or domestic reasons, such as the
death or life threatening illness of a close relation, and may be with or
without pay. This includes foster carer leave. Voluntary Reduced Hours,
Job Share and Unpaid Leave schemes are also offered under the family-
friendly umbrella.

We recognise that veterans of the armed forces can also experience
discrimination. We will make all efforts to prevent discrimination or other
unfair treatment against our staff or services users who are veterans of
the armed forces.

We recognise that people with an offending history can also experience
discrimination. We will make all efforts to prevent discrimination or other
unfair treatment against our staff or services users regardless of their
offending history so long as this does not create a risk to the
organisation.

8. GLOSSARY

Age

Where this is referred to, it refers to a person belonging to a particular
age (e.g. 32 year olds) or range of ages (e.g. 18 – 30 year olds).

Disability

A person has a disability if s/he has a physical or mental impairment
which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on that person’s
ability to carry out normal dayto-day activities.

Diversity

Where many different types of people are included.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is the use of technology, such as mobiles and the internet,
to bully other people.

Equality Analysis/Equality Impact Assessment

Equality analysis is a way of considering the effect on different groups
protected from discrimination by the Equality Act. It involves using
equality information, and the results of engagement with protected
groups and others, to understand the actual effect or the potential effect
of your functions, policies or decisions and it can help you to identify
practical steps to tackle any negative effects or discrimination, to advance
equality and to foster good relations. The change in terminology from
‘equality impact assessment’ to ‘analysis of the effects on equality’ is
intended to focus more attention on the quality of the analysis and how it
is used in decision-making, and less on the production of a document,
which some may have taken to be an end in itself.

Gender Reassignment

The process of changing or transitioning from one gender to another.
Protected Characteristics These are the grounds upon which
discrimination is unlawful. The characteristics are: age, disability, gender
reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity,
race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Race

Refers to a group of people defined by their race, colour, nationality
(including citizenship) ethnic or national origins

Religion and belief

Religion has the meaning usually given to it but belief includes religious
and philosophical beliefs including lack of belief (e.g. Atheism). Generally,
a belief should affect your life choices or the way you live for it to be
included in the definition.

Sex

A man or a woman.

Sexual orientation

Whether a person’s sexual attraction is towards their own sex, the
opposite sex or to both sexes

Socio Economic Status (Poverty)

Socio economic status includes factors such as changes in the labour
market, the delivery of public services, such as education and health,
and the immediate impact of how an economic downturn can negatively affect
the life chances of individuals.